03/08/2006
by:Margaret Groesbeck
Minutes February 13, 2006
Five College Libraries
Research, Information and Outreach Committee (RIO)
Present: Bonnie Vigeland (chair), Bryan Goodwin, Margaret Groesbeck (recorder), Beth Lang, Barbara Polowy,
Absent: Sherre Harrington
Wireframes for Aleph Public Catalog
The only item on the Committee’s agenda was the review of brief usability testing of the static wireframes for the public catalog. UMass used specific questions about performing (or imagining that you could perform) functions in the new catalog. (UMass questions attached in email). Amherst, Mount Holyoke, and Hampshire just reviewed the layout, features, and functions of the catalog as represented by the static wireframes from Slate Roof. Smith has not yet done testing and therefore will be able to target specific questions to test “problem” areas turned up by the other schools. Smith will test Tuesday and report back to others. RIO will confer by email and decide on recommendations after Smith’s tests. Bonnie will communicate with Slate Roof within the week and will give usability feedback to web designer.
Major comments/suggestions – page by page, school by school (with notes on issues Smith will test further):
Basic Search:
Mount Holyoke
Basic search essentially acceptable to students
Can phrases be included in “ “ (quotations marks like Google, etc). If so, include in context sensitive help
Amherst
One student suggested placing “New Titles” before “Reserves” in heading.
One thought “keywords” would be more universally comprehensible than just “words” because it conforms more closely to current computer vocabulary
Hampshire
Confusion about difference between “My Account” and “My Folder”
Students understood “End Session” to mean “Logoff”
2 out 3 students prefer “Keywords” to “Word Anywhere”.
Students did not understand “Author Words” but thought they’d understand better with context-sensitive help
Students didn’t know what to expect from “Journal Locator”
UMass
Students could easily switch among the schools/catalogs (primary test for UMass questions)
Smith to test:
Words v. Keywords
End Session v. Logout
My Account v. My Folder
Advanced Search
Mount Holyoke
Students wanted to know how to search more than 1 but fewer than all 5 catalogs (not possible, we believe)
Students did not figure out that a search by limits only was possible
Questions about the function and sequencing of AND/OR and suggestion that there be “Help’ about the functioning of the Boolean searching nearby on page (lower on screen)
Amherst
No particular trouble with “Advanced”
Question of whether there has to be a limit to 3 search elements
Hampshire
There was “quite a bit of confusion” about Advanced
Question about the difference between phrase searching and using AND.
Tip about searching by limits only should be more featured
UMass
The question did not get at all aspects of Advanced.
No students mentioned “Limits”.
Smith to test:
What does the current layout with “Limits” imply?
How much of Advanced do students thinks they have to fill out?
Results
Mount Holyoke
Directions under “Title” and “Library” for functions are unnecessary???
Student suggested getting rid of owned/out and substituting call number in that space
“Jump to” seems to be to a page, not a record number. Add # in front of “Jump to”
Students want “modify search” more prominently featured
Amherst
“Owned/out” should be “Owned/available”
“Save/mail” is not clear – substitute “download/email”?
One student strongly requested call number on this screen; other two OK with the way display works here
All strongly preferred word to icon in display
Hampshire
Students thought lack of call number on this page was horrible
2 out of 3 wanted “owned/available” not “owned/out”.
Students wanted author to be a live link to generate author search
UMass
5 out 6 did not get “owned/out”
All got to click on title for more information about the book
Smith to test:
See whether “modify search” should be moved and made more noticeable
Test “save/mail” v. Download/email”
Ask students to find call numbers and see reactions
Ask about clickable author searches
Full Record
Mount Holyoke
Put “Results” (or “Back to results” or something like that) with “Previous…/Next..” on screen
Amherst
If we cannot have call number here, substitute “Call number/availability” (with box or bright link?) for boxed “Save/mail”
Put “Results” before “Recent Searches”
Hampshire
Students wanted call number and availability on this screen
UMass
Students were unsure of the highlighted term’s being the searched term
They had questions about the difference between “MY Account” and “My Folder”
They understood that they could download or email from this screen.
Smith to test:
Difference between “Add to Folder” and “Save/mail”
How to call numbers
How to get back to “Results” (with test of voculary)
